Koenck and Kasagule Lead Lamar at Houston Indoor Invitational

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Koenck sets new SLC record in the 1 mile run, Kasagule sets new LU record

Feb. 2, 2008

HOUSTON - The Lamar University track team took the track at the Yeoman Field House at the University of Houston Saturday for the Houston Indoor Invitational and has been the case all season long, Clerc Koenck and Francis Kasagule continued to break records.

Koenck, who had already set a new school record in the 3,000 meter run this season, made an assault on the Southland Conference record book in the one mile run. The senior from Anacoco, La. posted a new school and SLC record and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 4:47.77, almost one second better than the prior record of 4:48.70 run by Ruth Waller of McNeese State in 2004. Entering the meet Koenck had the fourth fastest time in SLC history, a 4:49.84 which she ran at Houston the in Lamar's opening meet of the year.

Kasagule also got in on the record breaking action in the men's mile, setting a new school record with a 4:07.23 performance. He was nine seconds ahead of the second place finisher and edged his previous best of 4:07.27 which he ran last year.

The Cardinals had success in the men's and women's 400 meter dashes, as Jerel Massenburge ran well for the men and Brittainy Pollard was impressive in the women's race. Massenburge grabbed a second place finish in the men's 400 with a 50.18 performance, while Pollard took fourth in the women's race with a 57.69 performance. Both runners posted season and career-bests with their performances.

In the men's 60 meter dash Michael Gauthier grabbed a fifth place finish with a 6.99 second performance. He qualified for the finals with a 6.97 second performance in the prelims. Both of his runs on Saturday ranked as the fourth-best in school history.   

Ewan Simpson continued his impressive season with a fourth place finish in the men's 800 meter run, clocking a 1:56.79. His performance was a personal-best in the 800, and is the fifth-best time in the SLC this season.

In the men's 3,000 meter run the Cardinals had a strong showing, as three runners placed in the top eight. Samuel Kosgei finished in second place in 8:21.40, on the heels of Texas A&M Corpus Christi's Shadrack Songok who took the top spot in 8:20.11. Kosgei's performance ranks second in the Lamar history book.

Frank Bwambale finished in fourth place with an 8:37.65, six seconds off of his personal-best of 8:31.30 which he ran a year ago. Randy Becker rounded out the trio of LU runners in the top eight, placing eighth in 8:45.96.

Renee Graham made noise for the Lamar women in the 3,000 meter run, finishing in third place with a 9:54.05 performance. She was six seconds off of her personal-best performance of 9:48.69

In the women's 60-meter hurdles Jessika Johnson advanced to the finals and placed 13th with an 8.98 second performance. In the prelims she ran an 8.97, which ranks third in the LU record book.

In the women's and men's 4x400 meter relays the Cardinals both registered fourth place finishes. The LU women posted a season-best 3:56.46 while the men ran a season-best 3:24.56.

The Cardinals will be back in action next Saturday when they run at the Red Raider Invitational at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.